Rear spring "sproing" W116
 

When turning while going over bumps I get a sproing from the rear. I have new shocks that I haven't installed so I'll check it out when I dig into that.

Anyone have any ideas about a common problem with these cars?

I'm scared it's a broken spring perch or something :eek:

It could be and that could be dangerous... so check it quickly....

Could also be the sway bar link. Cheap fix if that's the issue.

I have already changed both sway bar end links. It's hard to duplicate by pressing down on the back of the car and it doesn't ride low in the back or anything.

I was just hoping for some help in where to look when I get it up for the shocks. When looking it over on a lift I didn't notice any "Oh *****!" items other than the end links.

Thanks

I get he same sound now and then. I seemed to come from the trunk area as apposed to under the rear of the car. On investigation I found the right trunk lid spring would shift a little each time the trunk was opened.
Then I slight bump or sway would let the spring correct it's position with a
"sproing' The easy fix, a little grease under the spring hooks

You've got to love it when the expensive sounding problems end up being trunk spring auto-realignment procedures.

Hope that's the problem!

Not wishing to be captain obvious, but have you double-checked that your jack and jack-handle/pry bar are secure?

On my 116 mine seemed to want to come loose all the time (though I doubt that I had them installed correctly in the first place).

I'll be sure to check the trunk and springs. That very well could be it.

Can the trunk spring actually sound like a sproingy coil spring to a car guy?

I think it is a sproingy coil spring, isn't it? :)

Well, I put shocks all around today and gave it a good looking over. The spring perches looked fine as well as the rubber/plastic disks at the top of the springs. The shock mount points, etc. looked good too... No worn trailing arm bushings either.

It must be the trunk spring or the coils "settling" after the rear is jacked up. I had jacked it up to check the brakes and rotors after I got it and it's been up a few times.

Oh yea, the shocks were Chinese "Sensens". I read some favorable reviews on some forums but I'll say don't bother :rolleyes: One of mine has an ill fitting "donut" at the bottom of one of the front shocks (Where it bolts to the lower control arm) and it clunks :eek: I noticed it before installing it figuring it would be OK...

It had the original MB shocks and one of the fronts was bad. The rest seemed OK with just bench testing.